EPA seeks improvement on Keystone XL review

The EPA gave the US State Department's review of the proposed Keystone XL pipeline a 'C' grade, adding that there is "ample time and ability" to upgrade the analysis.

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By RYAN TRACY

WASHINGTON -- The head of the United States Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) gave the State Department's review of the proposed
Keystone XL pipeline a "C" grade, but said there is "ample
time and ability" to upgrade the analysis.

The comments by Bob Perciasepe, the agency's acting
administrator, to the House Appropriations Committee brought
into focus concerns the EPA has already raised about the
State Department's environmental review of the project.

Environmental groups have made blocking the pipeline a top
priority, and the White House has balked on making a final
decision on it for more than a year.

The State Department's most recent review, released earlier
this year, was an improvement over a previous version, Mr.
Perciasepe said.

The grade the new version should receive "was actually a
passing grade," Mr. Perciasepe said. "It is like a "C'. We
think there is ample time and ability for analysis of these
issues to be upgraded substantially."

The EPA wrote the State Department a letter last month urging
a closer look at greenhouse gas emissions and potential spills
from the project, which would carry crude
oil from Canada's oil sands to refineries in the United
States. The State Department has jurisdiction to approve the
project because it crosses an
international border.

Dow Jones Newswires

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